Immortal Rival
by WickedLoveChild
Summary: This story was posted before, then I took it down...but it's haunting me! I guess I'm going to have to keep writing and finish it. I can't really put a summary to this, but please read!


10

**Title: **Immortal Rival

**Author: **WickedLoveChild

**Disclaimer: **The familiar characters in this story are NOT MINE! They belong to the creators of the show **Once and Again**, but I'm obviously borrowing them and taking great liberties with them and the story line. So far the only character that's mine is Echo. Oh and the first song,_Kinderly, _belongs to the **Mediaeval Baebes,** the second song, _Tears,_belongs to the band**Skindred, **and thelast song isW_hy Can't You See Me?_by one of my favorite bands, **Concrete Blonde. **Let's see…anything else? Nope. SO NOBODY SUE ME FOR I AM GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE!

**Author's Note: **I guess this is set after the last episode. Just to keep things uncomplicated we'll say that the family never moved to Australia. I'm a big Eli/Grace fan, so that's what this will eventually turn into…or is. Whatever. Would love to get some feedback because this is my first ever-ever fanfiction and I don't know if I'm doing it right. This will be a series. Thanks!

**Immortal Rival**

Grace Brooks Manning first met Echo at the library at the local university when one night she stayed late to do some research. That was the only name he ever gave her and she was fine with that. She had to admit that in that moment when she had turned into the music isle and saw him, she forgot to breath; forgot Eli and everyone else. Then he looked at her and she felt that he could read her thoughts…but luckily there wasn't anything to read in there at the moment.

As he stared at her, she was bold enough to stare back and quirk her eyebrows. He smiled and said a simple good evening. Grace responded in kind and they continued staring. As she took in his black hair, beautiful green eyes, and fair skin, she suddenly thought of the songs of her new favorite band, the Mediaeval Baebes. His looks and the mystery that seemed to permeate every bit of him inspired her to sing those hauntingly beautiful tunes out loud right then, though she held the urge at bay. Her heartbeat quickened until it felt as though it was beating out the fast rhythm of the Baebes' song _Kinderley. _

_Kinderley is now me coming_

_Into this world with teres and cry,_

_Litel and povere is min having,_

_Britel and sone I falle from hi,_

_Scharp and strong is my deying,_

_I ne woth whider schal I,_

_Foul and stinkande is my roting,_

_On me, jhesu, you have mercy!_

Grace watched hypnotized as the "Prince of Desire and Mystery," as she so dubbed him in her mind, moved to stand in front of her.

"Can I help you find anything?" He asked in a deep baritone.

"Actually," Grace began, clearing her throat, "I just got finished with some homework and came up here to find a book on the music of the mediaeval time period. Do you know where those books are?" She stared into his eyes the whole time, surprising herself at being able to maintain eye contact while her heart felt ready to jump out at this beautiful guy.

"Mediaeval, eh? Well, you're in luck. We just got this great new book of music like that by this women's choir called Mediaeval Baebes," and without taking his eyes from Grace's he reached out and pulled the book from the shelf that she was eye level with.

"If you had just looked straight ahead to your left you would've seen it," he said quietly. "It's almost as though you were meant to see it."

Grace was too busy looking at him to notice that he had plucked the book without looking away from her. She was startled back into reality when he placed the book in her hands, and his long fingers brushed hers.

"Thanks," Grace whispered, feeling that the moment had an almost sacred quality to it. "Well, I guess I better get going," Grace said sounding normal but reluctant and not caring if he believed it was because of him. Because it _was_ him she was reluctant to leave. She turned to leave, but then turned back. "I'm Grace. Grace Manning," she said with a small smile, and waited.

"It was a pleasure, Grace Manning. I am Echo," the Prince of Desire and Mystery said.

Grace nodded and started to leave again, but then stopped again.

"What's your last name?" she asked.

"It's just Echo, Grace Manning. Simply Echo," he repeated, then turned and walked down the isle.

Grace shrugged and went to check out the book. As she was driving home, her thoughts were filled with green eyes, pale skin, and hair so black there was a bluish cast to it…

Then she pulled into the driveway and saw Eli Sammler sitting on the hood of his car, strumming his guitar.

* * *

As Grace watched Eli sit there with his guitar on the hood of his car, almost all thoughts of Echo were pushed from her mind…but not quite. He seemed to linger in her head like some heady perfume would linger on her skin. But that didn't mean her stomach didn't jump when she saw Eli.

Eli looked up when he saw Grace's car pulled up behind his and smiled softly. He couldn't believe she had chosen to stay home and go to college there in Chicago. He had thought for sure that she would've run to the farthest school from home once she graduated, but Grace was always surprising everyone. At the family meeting that Grace had called to inform them of her decision, she had stated quite simply, "I don't feel ready to feel leave. There's still something missing that I haven't gotten from this place yet."

Eli had watched closely as Grace made the transition from girl to woman, not as he watched Jessie and Zoë (like an older brother), but as a friend…and had been unaware of the transition that she had made in his heart from best friend to…the love of his life. But now he knew his own feelings and was confident in them and his ability to make Grace feel the same way…he just had to wait for the perfect moment.

As Grace got out of the car, she heard the beginning of her favorite Skindred song, _Tears_. She grabbed her backpack and quickly went to hop up and sit next to Eli as he gave her a warm smile. She smiled back, but thought nothing of the way his gaze seemed to linger on her. She knew that when he was playing he just sometimes spaced.

"You take the lead, Grace," Eli said, knowing this was one of her favorite songs. After all, he had introduced her to the band's music.

So Grace opened her mouth and began to sing, having fun with trying to interject a Rasta accent like the lead singer. Eli joined in also trying to do the accent.

_This just ain't fair_

_What you trying to do to me_

_Trying to make me crazy_

_Telling me just how it should be_

_And I've got to know_

_Which way are we gunner go_

_Gunner take it fast or slow_

_But with you I never know_

_It's never the same these things that you're saying_

_And who is to blame this world it is swaying_

Eli ended the song with a flourish after they had gone through the whole thing, and they sat laughing and making fun of each other's bad accents.

"No, Eli, yours was way worse. Admit it," Grace cried, placing her hand over his head, "Admit it or the hair gets it."

"Hey, haven't you ever heard the line, 'don't mess with the 'do?'" Eli responded, grabbing her wrist.

"Eli, you've had these same spikes for forever. I think they're now an official 'don't,'" Grace said, freeing her wrist and mussing his hair.

"You're happy tonight, Grace," Eli said, "You've been kind of stressed lately."

"I know, but I just have to finish up this last paper and I'm home free for Christmas break," Grace replied, smiling. "And that song just does wonders for my mood even though the lyrics aren't so upbeat, maybe it's the accent."

"Oh, so now when I want to cheer you up I just have to talk to you in a Jamaican accent?" Eli asked teasingly.

"You bet. Hearing your bad accent would make me laugh any day," Grace retorted. "Well, I'm gonna go raid the fridge for leftovers. Care to join me, Mr. Sammler?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Manning," Eli began with false regret, trying to hold in a smile, "But while you were in the library doing all sorts of God-awful things and getting into all kinds of trouble, some of us were at work. You know, work, that thing you do for money once you turn eighteen? Unless of course you're Sponge-Grace-Smarty-Pants, then you go to college." Eli tried to hold his haughty façade, but failed miserably when Grace busted out laughing.

"Then good night, Eli," Grace said, leaning in to give Eli a peck on the cheek.

And Eli saw the perfect moment…and turned his head to touch his lips to Grace's. It was a brief kiss, but it was enough to completely push away the lingering thoughts of the beautiful Echo.

* * *

Echo stretched out on his bed and probed his vampiric mind for the Miss Manning he had met that night. He had had enough time weave his web in her mind while they had gazed at each other…but now he couldn't feel her. He had felt himself settle nicely in her mind for a while and had delighted in just getting to know her (albeit that it was without her knowledge), but then he began to slowly slip from her mind. Then, it was as though he was abruptly thrusted out of her mind. He sighed and pressed the play button on his CD player, then began searching for some flicker of himself in Grace Manning's thoughts again. Echo hummed along with the music and smiled as he realized how the song was appropriate for what he was feeling; Concrete Blonde's _Why Can't You See Me?_

_When you lay down,_

_Do you hear sounds? _

_Does the silence have a voice? _

_What does it say? _

_What do you hear? _

_What does it whisper in your ear?_

_Why don't you hear me, _

_Why don't you hear me? _

_When you get up into the light _

_When you come up out of your night_

_What do you see and do you see, _

_Or have you lost your sense of sight, _

_Why don't you see me, _

_Why don't you see me?_

What do you think?

_What do you feel? _

_Cuz this is feeling very real _

_And if you feel why can't say_

_Give me a little damn expression can't you feel me, _

_Why, don't you feel me, _

_Why don't you feel me? _

_  
Are you in love? _

_Are you in hate? _

_Are they together in the same, _

_Where do you go? _

_Who do you know? _

_Are you the lonely ghost of someone searching? _

_See me, _

_Why don't you tame me, _

_Why don't you feel me, _

_Why don't you feel me, _

_Why can't you hear me, _

_Why can't you hear me, _

_Why don't you see me, _

_Why don't you see me?_

Just as he was about to fall asleep, Echo found his opening again. Actually, it felt as though Grace Manning was trying to will him back into her mind, trying to use thoughts of him to block other thoughts. Although he had made a promise to himself and a silent one to Grace not to intrude on her way personal life and thoughts, he let his mind receive those thoughts Grace was trying so hard to keep at bay.

Echo was slightly disappointed that the thoughts had to do with a man, and even more disappointed to feel the emotion 'love' permeate Grace's body for this man…but he also felt pain in her heart and it had to do with the same man. Echo couldn't get specifics from Grace's mind. That wasn't how his gift and curse worked. He could feel her emotions when he wasn't blocked or forgotten, and from that he could maybe piece together what had happened. With his gift he was also able to see what made Grace the person she was.

So all he was able to determine of this man she was anguishing over was what her abstract thoughts gave him. He determined on his own that any guy she chose to spend time on would have to be a good guy, and her thoughts confirmed that fact. She saw this man as a good man, a little rebellious, but kind and strong. Echo almost decided to pull back and try to forget about Grace Manning when he felt the immense love that she held in her heart and body for this man, but he also felt the pain in her heart…as though her and this man could never be.

He got the sense that she believed this man that was in her heart and on her mind was wrong for her…and because of what he, Echo, saw in her eyes, he too wanted to believe that this man was wrong for her. Echo couldn't reason out why Grace was so attractive to him. He had barely spoken to her, but there was something in her eyes that had grabbed his attention and wouldn't let go. They weren't beautiful because they were an uncommon or unusual color, they were a deep brown. They were beautiful because they held an intensity that came with wisdom and an awareness of what was going on around her. They held innocence and an untapped sensuality.

With the memory of Grace's eyes burned into his memory, he pressed deeper into her mind, and she opened up to him almost as though she knew how badly he wanted in. He felt that she had know her of her love for this man for quite some time, but never had she agonized over this feeling until now…which meant something had to have happened, Echo thought.

Knowing that school was about to end for Winter break, he figured that Grace would probably go back to the library to do some last minute work. He made up his mind to go back to the library tomorrow and see if Grace would return…

* * *

Lying in bed in her room, Grace thought again of how Eli had kissed her…and of how she had kissed him back. When they had pulled back, Grace said good night again and walked calmly back into the house without a backward glance. She had been too stunned to even turn to glance back at Eli, who was watching her go into the house. Now, a couple of hours after the incident, she realized that she didn't know what to expect and didn't know what Eli expected of her. She saw of no possible way of a relationship working out for them.

With a lot of regret and effort Grace worked to erase that sweet kiss from her mind, and felt a something, or someone, tug at her memory. Someone with blue-black hair and deep green eyes…Echo.


End file.
